No to NHS ads

The public are against NHS organisations such as hospitals vying for business through advertising, says new research.

A new survey of more than 2,000 people by YouGov has shown more than two-thirds of people either strongly disagreed, or disagreed with the government’s plans to let hospitals advertise.

The research carried out for the NHS Together alliance of health unions, followed expectations that the Department of Health will publish a code of practice on how hospitals can market their services under the choice agenda.

The plan has also come in for criticism from the British Medical Association and trade unions, who believe the money should be spent on healthcare.